Mask with articulated section



May 14, 1963 A. GROSSBERG 3,089,148

MASK WITH ARTICULATED SECTION Filed May 24, 1962 FIG. I.

INVENTOR ABRAHAM GROSSBERG ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent York 24, 1962, Ser. No. 197,458

Filed May 3 tClaims. (Cl.

This invention relates to face masks and, more particularly, to a novel face mask having articulately interconnected sections which are movable relatively to each other in a manner to simulate the natural action of the lower jaw during talking, so as to provide a lifelike appearance of the mask.

Face masks, such as used in association with costumes at masquerades, at childrens parties, and on halloiween and like occasions, generally comprise a relatively thin piece of material contoured or molded to have a substantially conforming fit to the face and being held on the head by suitable means such as an elastic band. These face masks may be further molded to provide external distortions giving desired effects and completely changing the facial appearance of one wearing the mask.

However, as previously constructed, such masks have been in one piece except for the attaching means, and correspondingly a prospective user was faced with the problem of selecting a mask which would have the proper fit with his face. Furthermore, due to their one-piece construction, said masks appeared unnatural and, when the wearer was talking, the parts of the masks did not move to simulate the action of the jaws in talking, thus detracting from a lifelike effect.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention is directed to a novel face mask including a movable jaw section which is connected to a main face section by articulated means providing not only relative pivoting of the jaw section but also relative upward and downward movement thereof, with the jaw section being constrained into engagement with wearers jaw by resilient means. Preferably, the interconnection between the jaw section and the main body of the mask comprises a sliding and pivotal interconnection involving elastic restraining means. Furthermore, the jaw section may be arranged, in its closed position, to overlap the upper lip portion of the main section so that, when the jaw section is closed the mask will have one appearance and when the jaw section is moved away to expose the upper lip of the mask, there will be a different appearance. More importantly, however, the mask of the present invention has a lifelike character in that the jaw may move relative to the main face portion of the mask and thus simulate a natural jaw action in talking or the like.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a mask embodying the invention, with the parts in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the mask shown in FIG. 1;

P16. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the mask shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the two sections thereof in the closed condition;

FIG. 4- is a partial sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 3, but illustrating the parts in the partly open condition; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the mask comprises a main section and a jaw section 3% which are interconnected by an articulation type of connecting means.

3,@89,M8 Patented May 14, 1963 The main section 20 of the mask is formed with the usual eyeholes 21 and nostril cavity 22. In addition, this section, which is of molded hollow construction, may be formed with ears 23 and with horns 24. The main section terminates at the upper lip 26 and, as best seen in FIG. 1, this upper lip may have teeth delineated on its outer surface and which are exposed when the jaw section is swung downwardly. To heighten the elusive effect, the upper lip may further have a must-ache 27 painted thereon, and eyebrows 28 may be painted or otherwise provided over the eye-openings 21.

To secure the mask to the head of the wearer, an elastic band 15 may be provided and has its opposite ends secured, by suitable means such as eyelets 16, to opposite side surfaces of the main section 20', the securement points being indicated as about at the level of the ears 23.

The jaw section 30 is essentially a segmental strip which is hollow toward its inner surface, this strip having substantially tapering ends 31. The forward portion of the jaw section comprises a lower lip portion 32 which is arranged, in the closed position of the mask parts, to overlap upper lip portion 26. The remainder of the jaw portion constitutes a chin-engaging section.

For the purpose of hingedly and articulately interconnecting the main section 26 and the jaw section 30, relatively axially elongated eyelets 34 are secured to the main section 20 on each side thereof adjacent its lower edge, and to the tapered portions 31 of the jaw sections 39. These eyelets serve as guides for generally oval substantially flat elongated slides 35 formed of any suitable material, such as a plastic composition material. The combination of the slides 35 with the associated eyelets 34 on each of the two sections of the mask provides a hinged and sliding connection between the main section 20 and the jaw section 30. These connections amounting to articulated joints between the two sections of the mask.

It is normally desirable to maintain the chin or jaw section 30 closed with respect to the upper section 20, while allowing the entire mask to fit comfortably over the face. For this reason, endless elastic bands 36- are secured around each associated pair of eyelets 34 to normally bias the eyelets toward each other. With the provision of the bands 36, the two sections normally occupy the position shown in FIG. 3, which is referred to as the closed position and in which the lower lip 32 of the jaw section 30 overlies the upper lip 26 of the main section 20 and thus conceals, for example, the teeth 25 on the outer surface of the upper lip. This closed position may be maintained, irrespective of downward movement of the rear portion of the jaw section, by stretching of the bands 36, to accommodate the chin of a wearer. Thus, the mask is readily adopted to various face configurations and sizes while still being able to be maintained in the closed position as well as readily moved to the open position.

When the face of the wearer is engaged in the mask, and the *wearers lower jaw is moved, as in talking, the jaw section 30 will move with the wearers jaw and will swing open and shut, alternately exposing and concealing the teeth 25. This gives a natural appearance when a mask wearer is talking, as compared to masks in which all the parts are stationary or integral with each other so that there is no visible face movement when a person is talking. Due to the articulated connections between the two sections, the jaw section 36 may not only pivot relative to the main section 20 but may also move vertically and in other directions with respect thereto. To heighten the illusion effect, the jaw section 30 may be provided with, for example, a goatee-type of heard as indicated at 37, although this forms no part of the present invention. Beard 37 could, for example, be stapled to the jaw section 30, as the mask material is relatively thin, although of a nature to retain its pro-formed shape.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornamental face mask comprising, in combination, a faee-conforming main section; a lower jaw-conforming section; said main section having rearwardly ex- (tending pontions at each side edge; said jaw section having rearwardly extending portions at each end; a pair of rivets on the rearwardly extending portions of said main section; a pair of rivets on the rearwardly extending ends of said jaw section; and a pair of relatively elongated slotted slide elements each interconnecting a rivet on said main section with a rivet on said jaw section and each freely movable relative to both associated eyelets, and

constituting the sole interconnect tions.

2. An ornamental face mask, in which each of said slide 5 substantially fiat and relatively elongated oval slide.

3. An ornamental face mask, as including rubber bands interconnec said main section to the correspondi section and resiliently biasing said 10 position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Austin Feb. 13,

ion between said secas claimed in claim 1, elements is in the form of a claimed in claim 2, ting each eyelet on ng eyelet on said jaw sections to a closed 

1. AN ORNAMENTAL FACE MASK COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FACE-CONFORMING MAIN SECTION; A LOWER JAW-CONFORMING SECTION; SAID MAIN SECTION HAVING REARWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS AT EACH SIDE EDGE; SAID JAW SECTION HAVING REARWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS AT EACH END; A PAIR OF RIVETS ON THE REARWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF SAID MAIN SECTION; A PAIR OF RIVETS ON THE REARWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS OF SAID JAW SECTION; AND A PAIR OF RELATIVELY ELONGATED SLOTTED SLIDE ELEMENTS EACH INTERCONNECTING A RIVET ON SAID MAIN SECTION WITH A RIVET ON SAID JAW SECTION AND EACH FREELY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO BOTH ASSOCIATED EYELETS, AND CONSTITUTING THE SOLE INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS. 